William Edgar Borah papers
Content Description
The William Edgar Borah Papers, 1899-1940 collection contains bound speeches of Senator William E. Borah; photographs of Borah, Mrs. Borah, and others including signed photographs of U.S presidents Coolidge, Taft, and Hoover; political cartoons featuring Borah, including eight original pen and ink drawings.
Dates
- Creation: 1865-1940
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Biographical / Historical
William Edgar Borah, Republican Senator from Idaho, was born in Fairfield, Illinois, June 29, 1865, the seventh of ten children born to William Nathan and Elizabeth (West) Borah. He was educated in the public schools near Fairfield and at Enfield College. He spent two years, 1885-1887, at the University of Kansas, but had to withdraw because of illness. He then studied law in the office of his brother-in-law and was admitted to the Kansas bar in 1890.
In 1891 he moved west and settled in Boise, Idaho, where he opened a law office. On April 21, 1895, he married Mary McConnell the daughter of Governor William J. McConnell.
He first became a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1903, but was defeated by Weldon Heyburn. He was elected in 1907 and served in that body until his death in 1940. In 1924 he became chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee; he also served on the Judiciary Committee. He was often mentioned as a presidential candidate, but not until 1936 did he actually enter any primaries; his defeat at the convention by Alf Landon was not unexpected.
William E. Borah died January 19, 1940, following a stroke.
Extent
1 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains bound speeches of Senator William E. Borah; photographs of Borah, Mrs. Borah, and others including signed photographs of U.S presidents Coolidge, Taft, and Hoover; political cartoons featuring Borah, including eight original pen and ink drawings.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials were found in Special Collections in July 1985.
Subject
- Borah, William Edgar, 1865-1940 (Person)
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to William Edgar Borah papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Daniel Olortegui.
- Date
- 2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Repository